03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Steps' Clare Richards has made thousands flogging old clothes to followers online
Steps star Clare Richards has been raking it in selling her old outfits from her time in the band to followers online with everything from custom made sets to platform heels on offer
Steps singer Clare Richards has been turning her hand to a new way of making money. The former pop star achieved incredible success with Steps after joining the band in 2007 racking up 14 consecutive UK top 5 singles including two number ones, two No1 albums and selling over 22 million records worldwide.
During her time in the band Clare gained popularity for her style and looks as well as her singing ability. Steps split in 2001 but reformed in 2021 and their most recent album Platinum Collection reached number 1 in the UK in 2022. While she has also embarked on a solo career and competed on The Masked Singer, Clare is now raking it in away from the limelight.
The singer has been selling her old outfits on Vinted - including music video costumes and stage outfits and has been making a healthy sum doing it. Selling under the username princessclarabella her biography on the site says: "I am 47 years old mother of two and I sing for my supper. I love clothes but never seem to throw any of them away when I should. So, it's time to make space x."
Clare has almost 5,000 followers on the site and 588 reviews for the items she has flogged on the platform. An estimate by The Sun claims she has already made over £10,000 selling her old clothing.
Clare has 79 items live currently and they are priced between £15 and £150 including a custom made House of CB top and skirt she wore in the music video for Heartbreak in this City and a pair of pink platform heels from Charlotte Olympia she has only ever worn "on set."
She is also selling kitchenware, toys and teddies on the site. She raved about joining Vinted in 2023 on Facebook posting: "I've got myself on VINTED!! It's AMAZING! I'm OBSESSED Lots of lovely pieces added today. Women's and kids."
Claire has previously spoken out about how being in the music industry had a drastic affect on her body image. Talking to Vicky Pattinson on her The Secret To podcast she said she was told she had to lose weight to be selected as a member of steps after auditioning to join the band in 1997.
She said: "It set me on a pathway of not really eating for 4-and-a-half years. I still haven't managed to [regain my confidence]. I think I'm much better than I was. But I don't think I ever will get rid of it completely because it's played such a massive part of my life for such a long time…
"And I think I probably was anorexic. You know, I managed to kind of stop what I was doing to myself but that went from not eating at all, to overeating." Clare has always been open about her weight struggles admitting she went from being "dangerously thin" to weighing 16.5 stone.
